Blade attachment for tamping rollers



March 7, 1950 c. F- GREINER ETAL 2,499,745

BLADE ATTACHMENT FOR TAMPING ROLLERS Filed June 4, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 7, 1950 p. F. GREINER ETAL. BLADE ATTACHMENT FOR TAMPING ROLLERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 4, 1945 March 1950 c. F. GREINER ETAL 2,499,746

BLADE ATTACHMENT FOR TAMPING ROLLERS Filed June 4, 1945 v '4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 7, 1950 F. GREINER ETAL 2,499,746

BLADE ATTACHMENT FOR TAMPING ROLLERS Filed June 4, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 7, 1950 BLADE ATTACHMENT FOR TAMPING ROLLERS Carl F. Greiner and John F. Harrison, Springfield, Ohio, assignors to The Buffalo-Springfield Roller Co., Springfield, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 4, 1945, Serial No. 597,392

12 Claims. 1

Our invention is a novel grader blade attachment for tamping rollers, preferably but not necessarily of the self-propelled three-wheel type, such as shown in our co-pending application Serial No. 555,098, filed September 21, 1944, now Patent #2,43'7,524, dated March 9, 1948, said roller having a pair of axially aligned driving rolls arranged for pivotal movement on a horizontal axis at one end of the frame, and a single steering roll arranged for pivotal movement on a horizontal axis at the other end of the frame, said frame carrying a motor for driving the pair of drive rolls through a suitable transmission and differential, each of said rolls being provided with sheep-feet tamping elements to achieve the desired density of the earth by movement of the roller to and fro over the earth fill.

The principal object of our invention is to provide a self-propelled tamping roller of the above types with a grader blade attachment at the rear end of the machine adapted to be raised and lowered by a double acting hydraulic cylinder, the blade when lowered serving to fill in the holes or indentations left by the tamping elements with loose earth, thereby preventing the holes from filling up with water during rainy seasons which would delay the tamping operations.

Heretofore grader blade attachments have been applied to self-propelled road rollers, but prior to our invention tamping rollers have not been provided with such blades as an integral part thereof to participate in the actual function of the tamping roller, it being the present practice to follow the tamping'roller with a separately drawn road grader to accomplish the result performed by our combination tamping roller and grader blade.

Another object of the invention is to provide a floating blade upon said tamping roller. Since a tamping roller does not ordinarily roll or tamp level ground, a blade which is rigidly held in a selected position would while traversing uneven ground be forced to cut through portions of said uneven ground and make much larger cuts than necessary to merely fill in the indentations or holes left in the soil by action of the tamping elements of the rolls. While in many instances the leveling or grading effect of a fixed blade is desirable, in other cases only a drag effect of the blade is desired; and our floating blade mounted on the tamping roller would operate to create said drag effect, the blade being arranged to float on the roller frame by means of pivotal and uniyersal connections.

Other minor objects of our invention will be hereinafter set forth.

We will explain our invention with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate 3 one practical embodiment thereof to enable others familiar with the art to adopt anduse the same, and will summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novel com:

binations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings: n Fig. 1 is an elevation of a self-propelled tamping roller of the sheep-foot type provided with a grader blade attachment according to our invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the rear portion of a tamping roller equipped With a modified floating blade.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 3. H

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section showin the pivotal drawbar connection to the mold board for the modification shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section through the ball and socket connection between thepiston rod and mold board.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section showing the means for locking the swingable bracket. plate if leveling action of the blade is not desired.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view through the cylinder showing the valve connections permitting the 1 blade assembly to float vertically, and showing the ball and socket connection between the upper end of the cylinder and the swingable bracket plate. p I

Fig. 9 is a detail section. v

Our invention is illustrated in connectionwith a vertical axis a steering yoke 2 carrying a horizontal shaft 3 on which is mounted the steering roll 4, said roll 4 carrying sheep-foot elements' 5, yoke 2 being steered by conventional devices? not shown. Yoke 2 is further provided witha horizontally disposed pivot 6 (Fig. 1) whereby the yoke may oscillate on a horizontal axis to accommodate the roll 4 to uneven surfaces of the dirt over which the roller is being driven.

At the opposite end of frame I, at each sidethereof, are spaced lateral projections lb,- |c

(Fig. 2) between which subframes fl are disposed at opposite sides of the frame I, same being pivoted on horizontal axial pivots 8 at their ends so as to oscillate in horizontal planes to accommodate their related drive rolls to uneven surfaces of the dirt upon which the roller is being moved. J ournaled in the subframes 1 are drive rolls 9 provided with sheep-foot elements 16 on their peripheries, each roll 9 being mounted on an axle ll journaled in the inner and outer side members of the subframe. On the outer end of each roll 9 is a chain sprocket l2. H

In the upper portion of frame I is a recess l e to accommodate a seat [5 for the operator of the roller, and dual control levers I6 and ll are provided adjacent the seat in convenient positions with respect thereto. At each side of frame I over the drive rolls 9 are fenders l8 which extend from the rear end of the frame upwardly and over the tops of rolls 9 and downwardly to a point in advance of the arms Ic which support the front ends of subframes l. y

A motor I9 is mounted in frame i preferably of internal combustion or Diesel type, having a drive shaft operating through a transmission housed in casing 20, a differential housed in caslng2'l said differential being of T-type and having lateral opposed drive shafts 22 extending from the sides thereof at a point slightly in advan'ce of arms lc.

The front end of each subframe l carries a bracket 23 rigidly secured thereto for oscillation therewith; and in said bracket is journaled a stub shaft24 carrying a sprocket 25 aligned with its related sprocket I2, before mentioned, on the adjacent drive roll 9 A chain 26 runs over each pairof sprockets 25' and 12 for the purpose of driving the respective roll. Between the shafts 22 and 24 are swingable shaft sections 21 connected by universal joints 28 to the differential shafts 22, said shaft 21 having splined thereon axially movable sleeves 29 connected to the stub shafts 24' by universal-joints 36'. y,

Thus by the above arrangement the drive from the differential 2] to the drive rolls 9 will be unaffected by oscillation of the 'subfra'r'nes. As the subframes' 1 oscillate the pairs of sprockets 25 and 12 will be continually maintained in parallel relation; and the universal joints 28, 36arld splined sections 2129 connecting shafts 24 and 22 not only permit the swinging of the drive between shafts 22 and 24 but also permit elongation o'r shortening of the drive caused by oscillation of subframes 1. v

fl he grader blade attachmenhasishown co n prises a mold board 35 of lengthto embrace the overall width of the drive rolls 9, said mold board having a removable blade 36 (Fig. l) secured to its-lower edge. Mold boardf35is carriedbycurved arms 31 pivoted on pinsor bolts 3'8 pr'ojecting from the sides of the frame I adjacent the rear end' thereof. Extending fro'm the rear end of frame I atthe center thereof is a br acket 39 having a cross-member 39a to which is pivotally mounted as at 46c the upper end of a double a'cting hydraulic cylinder 40, said cylinder having a piston rod 4| pivotally mounted as at 4| a, to a bracket on the rear face of the mold board 35 whereby asthe piston is raised or lowered in cylinder 40 the blade 36 carried by mold board 35 will be correspondingly raised or lowered. Valved pipes 42 and 43 respectively lead to the lower and upper ends of cylinder 40 for admitting or withdrawing fluid under pressure therefrom to control the piston in a mannersimnei tothe 4 operation of hydraulically operated scarifiers on road rollers.

When blade 36 contacts the ground, the same will drag over the ground in rear of the tamping rolls and fill in all holes and indentations left by the action of the sheeps-foot elements 5 and 10, thus preventing the holes from becoming filled with rain or surface water or the like during rainy seasons, which would delay the tamping operation.

A modified floating blade arrangement is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. A vertical bracket 47 is fastened axially to the rear end of the tamping roller frame, said bracket carrying a pivot bolt 53 (Fig. 7) for a swingable'bracket plate 52. The upper ends of drawbars 45 of the mold board 35 are pivoted to the lower end of plate 52 by bolts 49 passing through perforated ears 48 at the lower corners of bracket plate 52, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Drawbars 45 are perforated to receive bolts 46 passing through bars 45 and through correspondingly spaced holes in extension bars 44. The outer ends of extension bars 44are turned downwardly; asshown more particularly in Fig. 5 and have spaced ears 50 which are perforated and embrace perforated lugs 5| on the rear face of the mold board 35, the bolts 5la transfixing the cars 53 and the lugs" 5|, thus forming a pivotal connection between the mold board 35 and the drawbars 44-45.

Swingable bracket plate 52, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 7, may be restrained from pivoting around bolt 53 by means of a locking pin 62, eccehtrically mounted on a hub 6| rotatable on the plate 41 and controlled by a hand lever 60, whereby when lever 6U'is in the position shown in fulllines in Fig. 7, pin 62 will project through a hole in bracket plate into a registering hole in swihgable bracket plate 52, thus preventing rotation of the plates. When, however, locking lever 60 is swung into the dotted line position shown at 60a (Fig. 7) the pin 62 will be withdrawn from the hole in bracket plate 52 and plate 52 may pivot freely on bracket 41, with bolt 53 as a pivot.

The double-acting cylinder 54 is secured to the upper central portion of swingable bracket plate 52 by means of a ball stud 58 (Fig. 3) on the upper end of said cylinder entering a socket in a plate 59 carried by plate 52 and having a removable cap plate 59a, as shown in Fig. 8. The lower end of piston rod 55 is secured to mold board 35 by means of a ball stud 51 (Fig. 6) en'- ga ging a socket in a lug 56 onthe rear face of mold board 35 and having a cap plate'56a removably secured thereto.

Vertical floating action of the blade assembly is achieved by a valve 66 (Figs. 8 and 9), the valve 66 being shown closed in Fig. 8, and open in Fig. 9. When valve 66' is closed, as in Fig. 8, the main valve (not shown) controlling the fluid circuit which raises or lowers the piston 68 may be operated to lift or lower the mold board and plate assembly, as described in reference to Figs. 1 and 2. When, however, valve 66 is open, as in Fig. 9, hydraulic fluid may pass freely from one side of piston 68 (Fig. 8) to the other side thereof through pipes 63 and 64, any excess or additional fluid determined by travel of the piston 68 due to volume differences in cavities 69 and 16 (Fig. 8) in cylinder 54 passing to or from the supply tank through pipe 65.

By the above arrangement when the leveling action of the blade shown in' Figs. 1 and 2 is not desired, the action may be released by releasing the lock pin 62 (Fig. 7) by swinging the hand lever into position shown at 600; in. Fig. '7, and by opening by-pass valve 66 as shown in Fig. 9, thus permitting the blade 36 to' float and follow the general ground. contour. The assembly shown in Figs. 3-9 may likewise be locked from floating and will thereupon function the same as the modification shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by engaging pin 32 and closing valve 66.

We do not limit our invention to use only with tamping rollers of the types disclosed in the drawings, for obviously the grader attachment may be used with any type of tamping roller, whether of tandein,three-roll, or four-roll type, and whether self-propelled or tractor drawn type; also obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. A combined tamping roller and grader, comprising a frame, steering and driving rolls carried by said frame; said rolls being provided with tamping elements; means on the frame for driving the drive rolls; a blade for filling the holes left by the tamping elements vertically movably mounted at the rear end of the frame and of length to embrace the overall width of the said rolls; and means for raising and lowering the said blade which raising and lowering means is renderable inoperative to permit the blade to oscillate freely on a horizontal pivot whereby the blade will float freely.

2. In a combination as set forth in claim 1, said raising and lowering means comprising a cylinder having a piston rod interposed between the frame and blade and pivotally connected respectively with the frame and blade; and means for directing fluid under pressure into the cylinder; a conduit connecting the ends of the cylinder; and valve means in said conduit for rentlering the raising and lowering means inopera- 3. In a combination as set forth in claim 1, a mold board carrying the blade; and arms curving rearwardly and downwardly carrying the mold board and pivotally connected with the frame.

4. A combined tamping roller and grader, comprising a frame, a steering yoke adjacent one end of the frame and mounted to swing on vertical and horizontal axes; a steering roll provided with tamping elements journaled in said frame; subframes at opposite sides of the frame adjacent the other end thereof, said subframes being mounted to swing on horizontal axes disposed parallel with the longitudinal axis of the frame; drive rolls provided with tamping elements jour naled in the said subframes; a blade for filling the holes left by the tamping elements vertically movably mounted at the end of the frame adjacent the drive rolls, said blade being of length to embrace the combined overall width of the said drive rolls; and means for raising and lowering the said blade which means is renderable inoperative to permit the blade to oscillate freely on a horizontal pivot whereby the blade will float freely.

5. In a combination as set forth in claim 4, said means comprising a cylinder having a piston rod interposed between the frame and blade and pivotally connected respectively with the frame and blade; and means for directing fluid under pressure into the cylinder; a conduit connecting the ends of the cylinder; and valve means in said conduit for rendering the first means inoperative.

6. In a combination as set forth in claim 4,

6 a mold board carrying the blade; and arms curving rearwardly and downwardly carrying the mold board and pivotally connected with. the sides of the frame.

7. A combined tamping roller and grader, comprising a frame, steering and driving rolls carried bythe said frame, said rolls being provided with tamping elements; means on the frame for driving the drive rolls; a grader blade floatingly mounted on a horizontal pivotal connection to the rear end of the frame and of length to embrace the overall width of the rolls; and means for'raising and lowering the said blade; an axially disposed transversely swingable bracket plate pivoted on a horizontal axis at the rear end of the frame; a mold board carrying said blade; arms extending rearwardly and downwardly carrying the mold board and pivotally connected with the lower portion of the bracket plate; said means for raising and lowering the blade comprising a cylinder having a piston rod, each respectively connected by a ball and socket joint with the mold board and upper portion of the bracket plate; a fluid pressure circuit for directing fluid under pressure into the cylinder; and valved ducts connecting the ends of the cylinder with the fluid circuit adapted to equalize pressures within the cylinder at each end thereof when the valve is open.

8. A combined tamping roller and grader, comprising a frame, steering and driving rolls carried by the said frame and adapted to swing on horizontal axes, said rolls being provided with tamping elements; means on the frame for driving the drive rolls; a vertically disposed bracket on the rear end of the frame; a transversely swingable bracket plate pivoted on a horizontal axis on said fixed bracket; a mold board carrying a grader blade; arms extending rearwardly and downwardly carrying the mold board and pivotally connected with the lower portion of the swingable bracket plate; a cylinder having a piston rod, each respectively connected by a ball and socket joint with the mold board and upper end of the swingable bracket plate; a fluid pressure circuit for directing fluid under pressure into the cylinder; and valved ducts connecting the ends of the cylinder with the fluid circuit adapted to equalize pressures within the cylinder at each end thereof when the valve is opened, thereby permitting the blade assembly to float.

9. In a combination as set forth in claim 8, said grader blade being of length to embrace the overall width of the rolls.

10. In a combination as set forth in claim 8, means for locking the swingable plate against pivotal movement, whereby when the valve is closed the grader blade will remain in fixed relation to the frame of the roller.

11. In combination with a self-propelled tamping roller having steering and drive rolls provided with tamping elements and mounted to swing on horizontal axes and having means for driving the drive rolls while permitting swinging of the said rolls; a grader blade trailing the said rolls and vertically movably and floatingly mounted on a horizontal pivot on said roller, said blade being of length to embrace the combined overall width of the said rolls; and means connecting the blade and frame for raising and lowering the said blade, said raising and lowering means comprising a double-acting cylinder having one end pivotally connected with the frame and having a piston having a rod pivotally 75 connected with the blade; and means for dimEEERrENCES *GITEB The following references are of .record "in the file 'of this :patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 'Name "Date Harter May 8, 1883 Knight Dec. 30, 1913 Thompson Jan. 19, 1926 "Monroe June '10, 1930 Beatty et a1. Nov. 3, 1931 "Brun'er eta'l. v Sept. '13, 1932 Ross Dec. 24, 1940 Al-lenv 001;.27, 1942 

